Que Gaskins to students: 'Create a better future' (copy)

Tuesday

There were few students at Pennbrook Middle School who recognized Henry "Que" Gaskins, the keynote speaker Tuesday for the school's Black History Month celebration.

But they whispered excitedly as Gaskins — whose nickname is pronounced like the letter "Q" — rattled off the names of some of the celebrities he's worked with in his career.

Allen Iverson. Jay-Z. 50 Cent. Dwyane Wade. Shakira.

And that was just fine with Gaskins, a marketing guru who has found success working with some of the largest companies and biggest celebrities in the world.

"I get paid to help other people's dreams come true," Gaskins said. "I get paid to use my imagination, my creativity and my smarts to keep help other people and other brands become cool."

Gaskins is best known for helping Reebok broker a $40 million marketing contract with Iverson, and for helping to transform the company from a shoe retailer to a lifestyle brand.

Today, Gaskins is the founder and "chief visionist" at Que-In, a marketing and branding agency whose clients include pharmaceutical companies, sports associations and websites like AfroPunk.com and Samesurf.com. Recently, he helped Chinese sneaker company Li-Ning, which is partnered with NBA superstar Wade, enter the United States market.

Gaskins, who grew up in Washington, D.C., said he was often criticized by his peers for his "smarts," which made him act out as a child. But his parents supported him, and he excelled academically. When it came time for college, Gaskins said he chose Florida A&M University over Ivy League schools because he believed he would have a greater impact at the historically black college.

Gaskins would go on to receive his MBA from one of the nation's most prestigious business schools, the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

At Pennbrook, Gaskins urged students to pursue their passions and dreams.

"You can create a better future for yourself," he said. "It requires you to have a passion and a commitment."

His own dream, Gaskins said, was achieved using his "smarts" — and pursuing education. He said he found he didn't need to be an entertainer or a doctor to build a lifestyle that includes expensive sports cars and a big house, which he shares with his wife and three children.

Principal Jim Galante said the Upper Gwynedd middle school has a tradition of choosing a dynamic speaker to end Black History Month.

"It's not just history," Galante said. "It's present day."

Gaskins is friends with one of the school's guidance counselors, Galante said.

"Black History Month has always been a chance for me to review the past," Gaskins said. "How do I make the present better? How do I create a better future?"